Integration Question For You BYC Experts!

[jennyf]

I'm already thinking about more chickens next spring, heh. Are there any breeds in particular that you've found to be better at integrating into an existing flock as chicks? Have a mixed flock now of Wyandottes, NH, and BR that are getting along well. Should I look for a breed that tends to be more assertive in general to get more assertive chicks that perhaps blend in better with the existing? The ones I've been eyeing in particular are EE, Buckeyes, Delawares, Black Ameraucanas, Columbian Wyandottes, and Welsummers.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Breeds doesn't seem to matter, I've integrated almost one or more of everything. What does seem to matter is the size of your coop and run and whether your birds are confined. Mine are 100% free range with plenty of room. I have zero troubles. The smaller the set up the more breed temperament can play into it. From what I read on this site Wyandotte and RIR can be troubles, but I haven't found that to be the case in my situation. So never crowd.

 

[aart]

Agrees, housing and space has more to do with integration harmony than breed.
All birds can be vicious when 'intruders' appear, some breeds but more like some individuals can be worse than others. I have had nasty wyandottes, brahmas, welsummer.

There many ways to integrate new birds....but they all take 'extra' space above and beyond adequate space for the total population of flock.


Here's some notes I've taken on integration that I found to be very helpful.......
......take what applies or might help and ignore the rest.
See if any of them, or the links provided at the bottom, might offer some tips that will assist you in your situation:

Integration of new chickens into flock.

Consider medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
Poultry Biosecurity
BYC 'medical quarantine' search

It's about territory and resources(space/food/water). Existing birds will almost always attack new ones.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide out of line of sight and/or up and away from any bully birds.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best of mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

Another option, if possible, is to put all birds in a new coop and run, this takes the territoriality issues away.

For smaller chicks I used a large wire dog crate right in the coop for the smallers. I removed the crate door and put up a piece of wire fencing over the opening and bent up one corner just enough for the smallers to fit thru but the biggers could not. Feed and water inside the crate for the smallers. Make sure the smallers know how to get in and out of the crate opening before exposing them to the olders. this worked out great for me, by the time the crate was too small for the them to roost in there(about 3 weeks), they had pretty much integrated themselves to the olders. If you have too many smallers to fit in a crate you can partition off part of the coop with a wire wall and make the same openings for smallers escape.

Great example of chick respite and doors by azygous https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1069595/introducing-chicks-to-adults#post_16276224


Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock


I integrated this years chicks at about 4 weeks old.
They went into the coop at 1 week with their heater, separated by a mostly mesh temporary wall from the main flock.
They had their own feed, water, roost, and run in the 'coop partition' as I call it.
At 4 weeks I opened the three tiny doors in the mesh wall and 'taught' them how to go in and out.
At 6 weeks I took down the wall completely.
There were a few pecks of course, some of the bigs pestered the littles more than others, but overall it was much less dramatic than usual.
I think the chicks were less of a 'threat' than when I used to wait until the chicks were larger...and a smaller, faster target to hit, haha!
Now at 10 weeks old, they all get along pretty darn well.
It was nice to get the integration over sooner rather than later and because I had way more chicks this year it was a very good move to integrate younger,
it's pretty crowded out there, but they are already used to each other.

 

[Spartan22]

I so agree, this year is my 3rd integration thanks to @aart & @azygous advise and wisdom, only my 2nd year with chickens, there were no major issues, the older ones will guard the food and water so I put 5 waterers and food stations, they will also guard the nests, so I added more nests to keep everyone happy though they will pick few favorite place to nests and wait their turns. I also added more sleeping beds (roosting bars) since there will be commotions with territorial ones specially the older gens that are on the lower pecking order. Just to sum up the tips of more experienced chicken keepers here.

Agrees, housing and space has more to do with integration harmony than breed.
All birds can be vicious when 'intruders' appear, some breeds but more like some individuals can be worse than others. I have had nasty wyandottes, brahmas, welsummer.

There many ways to integrate new birds....but they all take 'extra' space above and beyond adequate space for the total population of flock.

It's about territory and resources(space/food/water). Existing birds will almost always attack new ones.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.
 
The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide out of line of sight and/or up and away from any bully birds.

At 6 weeks I took down the wall completely.
There were a few pecks of course, some of the bigs pestered the littles more than others, but overall it was much less dramatic than usual.
I think the chicks were less of a 'threat' than when I used to wait until the chicks were larger...and a smaller, faster target to hit, haha!
It was nice to get the integration over sooner rather than later.